Operation Compass

Operation Compass was a major Allied military operation in North Africa executed from 9 December 1940 to 9 February 1941 during World War II. Masterminded by general Archibald Wavell, Compass was a massive counterattack that had the goal of driving the Royal Italian Army out of western Egypt and back into Libya. The British advanced from Mersa Matruh and swiftly defeated the Italian 10th Army at Sidi Barrani and across Cyrenaica, although the Italians had superior numbers. The poorly-equipped and poorly-trained Italian troops were routed, and 138,000 Italian troops were captured by the British during the operation. Compass ended at El Agheila in February 1941, with the British halting to repair broken-down machinery and to resupply. The offensive led to Adolf Hitler sending the Afrika Korps of Erwin Rommel to support his struggling Italian allies in Libya.